Electric incandescent high pressure gas lamp and similar article



Nov. 22, 1938. swA soN I 2,137,732

ELECTRIC INCANDESCENT HIGH PRESSURE GAS LAMP AND SIMILAR ARTICLE Filedsept. 29, 1937 l5 g I4 Witnesses:

v lnvencor n7 iaw %f Patented Nov. 22, 1938 UNITED STAT PATENT OFFICEELECTRIC INCANDESCEN'I HIGH PRESSURE GAS LAMP AND SIMILAR ARTICLE HaroldSwanson, Cleveland, Ohio Application September 29, 1937, Serial No.166,347

15 Claim.

tion, Serial Number 744,598, filed Sept. 18, 1934, A

Patent No. 2,097,679, patented Nov. 2, 1937, are adaptable to manymore'electric incandescent lamps than those shown in the above mentionedapplication.

A further object is that this application is a continuation of myearlier filed application, Serial Number 744,598, filed Sept. 18, 1934,now a Patent Number 2,097,679, patented Nov. 2, 1937.

Other objects of this invention will appear more fully described andillustrated hereinafter.

While it is practical to adapt the improvements of my invention tonearly any of the present low pressure gas filled or vacuum type lampsPatent Omce regulations at the present time permit me to claim onlythree types, which are illustrated in the accompanyingdrawing in which:

Fi 1 is a cut away sectional view oi. a decorative type lamp;

Fig. 2 is a projection type lamp;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the lamp cluster in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cut away sectional view of a gen eral lighting type lamp;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the lamp cluster in Fig. i.

Referring to the decorative type lamp, Fig. l; a string of several smallelectric incandescent high pressure gas lamps l, are connected in seriesby soldering, clamping, or spot welding together at it in a line; adislr i, made from a wire coil, sheet mica, metal, glass, mouldedplastic, or any other suitable type of opaque or transparent material,is mounted on the lead-in wires between the small high pressure gaslamps by a wire clip i, which is clamped or fastened to the lead-inwires at 5; the entire string of small lamps is then placed within along glass tube 6, which was previously cut to a suitable length; lampbases 7 of suitable design are cemented or fastened to the ends of thelong glass tube and are soldered at ii to the ends of the string of highpressure gas lamps; the remaining space within the long glass tube beingair at atmospheric pressure.

Referring to the projection lamp, Fig. 2 and Fig. 3; a string of severalsmall electric incandescent high pressure gas lamps 9, having a regularprojection type lamp filament either a coil, coiled coil, or ribbon typefilament mounted within them, are spot welded together in series at H),in a column, the plan view being shown by Fig. 3; a standard outer shellpre-focus lamp base II, is coated on the inside with a suitable basingcement at I2 and IS; a lamp stem flare M, with embedded lead-in wiresi5, is iused'with a stem 'rod 16, having a button IT, with embeddedsupport wires ID, on which is mounted the column of small electricincandescent high pressure gas lamps, being clamped or spot welded tothe lead-in wires at i9, to form a stem mount or stem assembly; the stemassembly is positioned and mounted directly at the bottom of thepre-iocus base and the lead-in wires are soldered or welded to the baseat 20 and 2!; the large bulb 22 is placed over the mount and cemented tothe pre-focus lamp base; the remaining space within the large bulb beingair at atmospheric pressure.

Referring to the general lighting type lamp, Fig. l and Fig. 5; a stringof several small electric incandescent high pressure gas lamps it, areconnected in series by soldering, clamping, or spot welding together atit, in a circular column, the plan view being shown by Fig. 5; astandard electric lamp screw base 25, is coated on the inside with asuitable basing cement at lit and 27; a lamp stem flare it, withembedded lead-in wires it, is fused with a stem rod til, having a buttonti, with embedded support wires it, on which are mounted the circularcolumn of several small electric incandescent high pressure; gas lamps,being clamped or spot welded to the lead-in wires at it, to form a stemmount or stem assembly; the stem assembly is mounted directly atthe-bottom of -the screw base and the lead-in wires are soldered to thescrew base at it and 35; the large bulb 36 is placed over, the mount andcemented to the screw base; the re-= inaining space within the largebulb being air at atmospheric pressure.

While it is understood that the above illustrations show certainimprovements and objects of this invention, many variations of thesesame lamps can be made; therefore the following, which describes a fewvariations of these lamps, are also intended to be improvements andfurther objects of this invention.

Again referring to Fig. l, which shows a decorative type lamp. This lampcan be made with many new decorative arrangements. One of the Thisrainbow lamp is made up as shown in Fig. l, with the long glass tubefrosted on its inside wall; the small high pressure gas lamps I, areeach colored differently similar to Christmas tree lamps with thearrangement of colors the same as the sunshine spectrum or the rainbow;the disk 3, is made of opaque material to shield the colored light ofeach small lamp from passing into the adjoining colored lampscompartment. When this lamp is lighted, the light given off by eachsmall colored lamp is dispersed by the inside frosted surface of thelong glass tube with the results that it glows with light from one endto the other with the colors of the rainbow. .While a lamp of thisrainbow color arrangement might prove to be very ideal for somedecorations, however other color arrangements would prove moresatisfactory elsewhere, therefore the color arrangements of the smallelectric incandescent lamps can be made all one color or any combinationof colors that may suit popular demand. I have had in mind the use ofthis rainbow lamp as a'window decoration during Christmas holidayseason.51hi s type of decorative lamp can be made into a circle or asemi-circle as a wreath ,,for window decoration if so desired. The longglass tubei can be-artistically colored on the inside or colored plainon the inside to suit novelty decorative demands. The decorative coatingmaterials could also be applied to the outside of the long glass tube.

Again referring to Big. 2, which shows a prefoc'us' projection'typelamp.For convenience of illustration here I have shown the small electricincandescent high pressure gas lamps widely separated in the same plane;however in actual lamp construction, it is often more desirable to keepthe light source area confined to as compact an area as is practical; toaccomplish this, the small lamps can be staggered by setting eachalternate small electric incandescent high pressure gas lamp forward orbehind just enough to close up any area which does not give off light.When the small electric incandescent high pressure gas lamps are mountedin such a staggered fashion, the outer surface of the small bulbsreflects part of the light which strike it at small incidence angles andthus help to fill up the light source area. This type of pre-i'ocusprojection lamp can be pre-focused without the use of a double pre-focusbase; the large bulb acts merely as a protector and a dust tight globeover the mount; the focusing being done by manipulating the mount partsuntil they are at the proper light source position in relation to thepre-focused lamp base, which is held rigid in a focusing fixture. Thelarge bulb, during focusing operations, can be placed over the mount,rotated, or removed as often as desired before it is finally cementedinto the pre-focus base; this being necessary sometimes because of theoptical distorting effect produced by the large bulb. The mount can alsobe lighted up, to its full intensity if necessary, without the use of adangerous hydrogen filled flashing bottle commonly used for this purposeat present. The cleaning of the filaments are done before the finalsealing of the high pressure gas within the small bulbs, by flashing thefilaments as a hydrogen flushing gas passes through the small bulbs, inand out simultaneously through the hollow metal wires. A mica disk canbe placed in the neck of the bulb around the stem, in the event that thecirculating warm air is objectionable down in the pre-focus lamp base;however the air will not be as warm as the gas within the present lowpressure gas lamps, because the air will not come in direct contact withthe hot incandescent filament; therefore the large bulb can be made froma softer glass and. also have a smaller volume without injuriouseffects.

Again referring to FL 4, which shows a general lighting type lamp. Apresent low pressure gas or vacuum type lamp can be salvaged and made uplike this lamp. To do this, the base of the present lamp is heated justenough to soften the basing cement, the base is removed; then the stemis cut off from the bulb neck near the end of the stem flare; a stringof several small high pressure gas lamps are mounted in place of the oldfilament, with the necessary spider support wires added and the lead-inwires are extended where necessary; the stem assembly is then cementeddirectly at the bottom of the lamp base, the lead-in wires beingsoldered to the base, the large bulb then merely acting as a dust tightprotecting globe is re-cemented to the lamp base; the remaining spacewithin the large bulb being air at atmospheric pressure. This lamp isthen practically as serviceable as if made from all new parts. It isquite evident that all new parts or any of the old parts can be used orreplaced with new parts to make this lamp.

In a general lighting type lamp, when the inside of the large bulb isetched or frosted to diffuse the lamp light, the outside of the smallelectric incandescent lamps can also be etched or frosted to give adouble light dispersing action. This action has a tendency to make thewhole lamp appear to be giving oil light like an opal or milky glassbulb, instead of from just a spot within the large lamp bulb. Thisdouble light dispersing action naturally helps to make direct vision ofthe lamp easier on the eyes, without adding much light reducingproperties to the lamp; also such a lamp would give off more polarizedlight which is naturally easier on the eyes, just like the refiected sunlight from the northern sky.

In the drawings of each of the three lamps, I have shown that the largebulb is merely cemented to the lamp base; therefore some of the objectsof this invention could not be properly shown with these illustrations,in lamps where it is desired to have the remaining space within thelarge lamp bulb be a vacuum or filled with any particular gas, the lampstem flare can be sealed to the bulb neck and an exhaust tube addedwhich will permit exhausting and filling of the large lamp bulb.

When the large lamp bulb is sealed to the stem flare for making theremaining space a vacuum or filled with gas around the small highpressure gas lamps, it is better to have an outlet for escaping highpressure gas, in the event that one or more of the small high pressuregas lamps develop a leak; therefore as a safety precaution a very thinglass disk, or a metal disk such as a thin copper disk is hermeticallysealed around the edges to close an opening through the wall of thelamp, the opening could be preferably through the wall of the lamp stem,which would be a very effective safety valve by rupturing the thin diskin the event that an excess gas pressure builds up within the large lampbulb.

Whenever the words small electric incandescent high pressure gas lampsor small high pressure gas lamps" are used herein, they are intended tomean the small electric incandescent high pressure gas lamps that aredescribed in my application, Serial Number 744,598, filed Sent.

18, 1934, Patent Number 2,097,679, patented Nov. 2, 1937, or the smallelectric incandescent high pressure gas metallic vapor lamps describedand claimed in my copending application Serial Number 190,615.

Whenever the words "small electric incandescent lamps" or small lampsare used herein, they are intended to mean any small electricincandescent lamps that are similar in construction and purpose to thepreviously mentioned small high pressure gas lamps.

It is obvious that someone might try to manufacture electricincandescent lamps with improvements as illustrated and described hereinexcept that their small lamps will be low pressure gas lamps, orvacuum'lamps, in an attempt to avoid claims of this invention; thereforeit is a further object of this invention to claim that one ofimprovements of this invention is the method whereby small electricincandescent lamps are I used in place of a lamp filament within a largeelectric lamp, even though those small electric incandescent lamps arenot filled with high pressure gas.

The following describedvarlations and improvements for electricincandescent lamps, are also further objects of this invention.

During the gas filling operations of the small electric incandescenthigh pressure gas lamps having a hollow metal wire final seal, acompression type rubber connection canbe used around the hollow metalwire to prevent gas leakage until the final seal is made tight enough topermit withdrawal of the lamp from the gas fill,-

ing equipment: this compression type rubber conout kinking the hollowmetal wire.

The remaining space within the large lamp bulb which encloses the smallelectric incandescent lamps, can be filled with gases which are normallyharmful to filaments in the present low pressure gas lamps.

When two hollow metal wires are hermetically sealed through the wall ofa small electric incandescent lamp, the gases can pass through the lampin and out simultaneously through the hollow metal wires; the flushinggas drives out the air and the filling gas drives out the flush ng as,which makes it possible to manufacture these small electric incandescentlamps without actually exhausting the air and flushing gases withpumping vacuum equipment from within the small electric lamp bulbs.

The remaining space within the large lamp bulb which encloses the smallelectric incandescent lamps, can be filled with a mixture of gases oreven impure gases.

The remaining space within the large lamp bulb which encloses the smallelectric incandescent lamps, can be filled with an ionizing gas, like aneon-argon gas mixture, to produce a lamp being both a glow gas lamp andan electric incandescent lamp: this type of lamp would find a verypractical application for lamps connected in series: when the filamentin one of the small electric incandescent lamps enclosed by the largelamp bulb would burn out, the ionizing gas would glow and show which oneof the lamps in the series had burned out.

The aforesaid metal vapor lamp construction can be used to make the socalled mercury arc sun lamps.

The large glass bulb which encloses the small electric incandescentlamps can be spray coated or painted on the inside to produce frostedlamps or colored lamps with coating materials which are normallyinjurious to gaseous getters and filaments within the ordinary gasfilled or vacuum type lamps.

The large glass bulb which encloses the small electric incandescentlamps can be coated on its inside surface with materials which areeither luminescent, fluorescent, or phosphorescent to the rays emittedfrom the small electric incandescent lamps: some of the common materialsof this type are marble dust, fluorite, willemite, alkali earthsulphides, zinc silicates, mixtures of thorium and cerium salts, andmany others; each having luminescence properties without beingincandescent. While these materials with luminescence properties are oldin physics, yet it is new to apply them to an electric incandescent lamphaving improvements of my invention, and I hereby make claim to the useof luminescence materials only as far as the improvements of myinvention are used with them.

The large glass bulb which encloses the small electric incandescentlamps can be chemically etched by using, fluoride compounds on theinside of the bulb or mechanically frosted by sand blasting the insideof the bulb to diffuse the light from the small lamps.

The large glass bulb which encloses the small electric incandescentlamps can be heated to fuse to the inside surface, small amber beads,glass beads, or ground glass particles to diffuse the light from thesmall lamps.

The large glass bulb which encloses the small electric incandescentlamps can be coated on the inside with lacquer, varnish, or any othersticky transparent coating and covered with a layer of small amberbeads, glass beads, or ground glass particles to diffuse the light fromthe small lamps.

When the aforesaid large glass bulb is covered on the inside wall withsmall amber beads. glass beads, or ground glass particles, those beadsor particles can be made of various colors and beautiful colored designscan be artistically worked upon the inside surface of the large glassbulb to make novelty or decorative lamps that can be used on Christmastrees, ornaments, decorations, displays, etc.

The small electric incandescent high pressure gas lamps can also be usedas individual lamps for Christmas trees or other decorative purposes;the high pressure gas lamps are connected a foot or so apart with lampcord to make a string of Christmas tree lamps with each lamp in thestring colored to suit popular demand.

A string of small electric incandescent lamps can be substituted for thepresent long filament in a tubular show case lamp or in those lampswhich are known in the electric lamp trade as lumiline lamps.

The large lamp bulb which encloses the small electric incandescent lampscan be cemented by its neck into the lamp base to act only as a globe.

lhe large glass bulb which encloses the small electric incandescentlamps can be made of smaller volume than is required for present lowpressure gas or vacuum type lamps of equal wattage.

A wire screen bulb or a moulded plastic material bulb can be substitutedfor the large glass bulb when such bulb acts as a protecting globe toenclose the small electric incandescent lamps.

When the large glass bulb is cemented by its tight chamber around thesmall lamps even though that chamber is not air tight.

The small electric incandescent lamps enclosed by a large glass bulb,increases the safety measarcs of using a high temperature filamentincandescent lamp in mines, especially those mines which haveexplosive'gases present and now use only carbon filament incandescentlamps. It is known that high temperature filaments within incandescentlamps do not always cool oil quick enough to prevent the igniting ofmine gases ii the fragile glass bulb is accidently broken, and as aresult, they sometimes are the cause of mine explosions; therefore somemine operators use only carbon filament incandescent lamps to overcomethis danger. In a lamp having small electric incandescent lamps enclosedby a large glass bulb, the lamp will continue to burn without dangereven though the large glass bulb is broken,

.and the mechanical strength of the small lamp bulbs reduces theirchance from breakage to almost a negligible amount of danger.

A varnish coating or other insulating material coating can be applied toall bare wires and connections within the large glass bulb whichencloses the small electric incandescent lamps to prevent electriccontact arcs caused by accidental breakage of the large glass bulb whensuch lamp is used in a mine or a place where explosive gases or vaporsare present.

The spider support wires which support the small electric incandescentlamps can be made from heavy wire to hold the small lamps more rigid onthe lamp stem.

The spider support wires which support the small electric incandescentlamps can be made from lower melting temperature wire because such wiresdo not come in direct contact with the high temperature filaments likethe spider wires in present lamps.

The filaments used in the present vacuum or low pressure gas type lampscan be cut into suitable short lengths and made up within small electricincandescent lamps which canthen be connected together and mounted inplace of the regular filament within those lamps.

By making a large electric incandescent lamp within which are smallelectric incandescent lamps that have short filaments, such large lampcan be given greater shocks, bumps, and vibrattions without thefilaments within the small lamps breaking.

The filaments within any small electric incandescent lamp can be given acleaning flash in hydrogen gas by lighting up the small lamp as ahydrogen flushing gas passes in and out of the lamp simultaneouslythrough the hollow metal wires.

It is obvious from the preceding descriptions of the many electricincandescent lamp variations to which the improvements of this inventioncan be adapted, that many other electric incandescent lamps can be madeby using these improvements, and in anticipation of the manufacture ofsuch lamps, it is a further object of this invention not to limit theimprovements of this invention to the lamps described herein, but Idesire to extend the claims of this invention to any electricincandescent lamp which uses the improvements described herein.

enemas I claim:

1. An electric incandescent lamp, comprising, a

- within said bulb holding said small lamps in serial order.

2. The construction set out in claim 1, wherein each of the smallenclosed lamps are filled with high pressure gas.

3. The construction as in claim 1, wherein at least one oi the smallenclosed lamps has a thick wall glass bulb.

4. The construction as in claim 1, wherein at least one of the smallenclosed lamps has a thick wall glass bulb and is filled with highpressure gas.

5. The construction as in claim 1, wherein there is provided hollowmetal wire electric leads adapted to withstand high pressure gas closedair tight within each of said small enclosed lamps.

6. A mount for an electric incandescent lamp, comprising, a stem fiarehaving embedded electric lead-in wires and fused together with anextended glass stem rod, the end of said stem rod having embeddedsupport wires, a series of small individual lamps connected togetherbetween said lead-in wires and mounted to said support wires.

7. The construction set out in claim 6, wherein each of the smallindividual lamps is filled with high pressure gas.

8. The construction as in claim 6, wherein at least one of the smallindividual lamps has a thick wall glass bulb.

9. The construction as in claim 6, wherein at least one of the smallindividual lamps has a thick wall glass bulb and is filled with highpressure gas.

10. The construction as in claim 6, wherein there is provided hollowmetal wire electric leads adapted to withstand high pressure gas closedair tight within each of said small individual lamps.

11. An electric lamp, comprising, a mount having a stem flare withembedded electric lead-in wires and an extended glass stem with embeddedsupport wires, small individual lamps connected together between saidlead-in wires and joined to said support wires, a lamp base with saidmount independently fastened therein, contacts in said base electricallyconnected to said lead-in wires of said mount, a large lamp bulbindependently fastened to said lamp base enclosing said small individuallamps interconnected on said mount.

12. The construction set out in claim 11, wherein each of the smallindividual lamps is filled with high pressure gas.

13. The construction set out in claim 11, wherein at least one of thesmall individual lamps has a thick wall glass bulb.

14. The construction set out in claim 11, wherein at least one of thesmall individual lamps has a thick wall glass bulb and is filled withhigh pressure gas.

15. The construction set out in claim 11, wherein there is providedhollow metal wire electric leads adapted to withstand high pressure gasclosed air tight within each of said small individual lamps.

HAROLD SWANSON.

